Last night I was training a new client of mine and at one point during our session we were doing some modified push-ups on a stability ball. After the first set of push-ups she says, “Uh if I wasn’t so fat I would probably be able to do this.” Now this really bothered me. Sure, if she was lighter or more in shape maybe she would be able to do more push-ups, but that is besides the point. Why? Well first of all, isn’t that why she came to me in the first place? To improve her fitness? Secondly, how is calling yourself fat going to help you do more push-ups? It’s not.
I’ve been personal training for a few years now, and if there is one thing I hate, (other than my clients not following their diets) is when they speak negatively about themselves. It bothers me so much! Every time I catch any of my clients saying anything negative about themselves like “I’m fat,” or “I suck.” Anything like that, I always nip it in the bud. I stop them, and tell them that I don’t like hearing it. At first, a lot of my clients don’t get it. They’re like, “but it’s true?” Or, “it’s not about you, it’s about me. So why does it bother you so much?” And the answer is this, whether or not it may be true, or whether or not it is directed towards me, it is neither positive or productive. Making fun of yourself, cutting yourself down will get you no where fast. It is not motivating, it is demotivating. Why would you be so quick to cut yourself down when you’re trying to build yourself up? Sure, you may not be able to do push-ups now, but that doesn’t mean that it always has to stay like that! If you made the steps to seek out help, or even to come to the gym to better yourself in some way, then that’s awesome! Don’t rain on your own parade and call yourself names, it just doesn’t make sense.
I’m not saying that you need to be in denial of your current state, clearly you’re not happy with where you’re at. But isn’t that why you came to make a change? If you want to be happy, well, first it starts with you. You need to stop punishing yourself, and start rewarding and encouraging yourself. If you have made the steps towards change, and you’re serious about it, then it is only up from here. You can only get better, if you stay consistent and committed. It is difficult, however, to stay committed if you’re constantly fretting about the way you are now. Yes, it will suck sometimes, and yes it’s going to be fricken hard, but hey! As Mary Poppins once said, “a spoon full of sugar, helps the medicine go down!” So stay positive, keep smiling, you don’t have to be fat or out of shape forever. You have the power to make that change, but you have to believe in yourself first! You need to be your biggest advocate for change, if you don’t believe in it, how is anyone else supposed to? You can do it, remember that š
Alex Rinaldo 